belgard motors apply to high court to appoint liquidator

Darragh29

VolvoMan wrote: »

I'm sorry if you lost your job but if the company was rude to potential customers, are they not entitled to say it?

+1. The company was also rude if not openly hostile to potential staff. I went for an interview for the position of Customer Care Manager a few years ago and remember meeting the Aftersales Manager in Belgard Motors, one of the rudest and most obnoxious people I have ever met.

I'm sorry for any people who have lost their jobs, but a company that puts signs up saying that staff are not allowed to park their cars on company property, or not allowed to use their mobile phones in work, in my opinion is on a road to a hiding.

I'd go as far to say that the whole business had a serious morale problem, parts staff openly rude to customers, hard to know where to begin when looking at the problems that Belgard Motors had.

car crazy

-Chris- wrote: »

Absolutely, if the service was crap, let rip here. It's important that if there's critisim here though, that you have information to back it!

no point letting rip now belgard unforunately is gone, and not everyone had a bad experience thankfully,but im sure there were no where runs smoothly, there were some with a few but no point picking over old bones now

@ darragh-no signs were put up re staff parking cars on the premises so not sure where u got that bit of information from, but yes they werent allowed to park there cars on the premises because it caused problems for paying customers trying to park and for ease of access which is understandable at the end of the day, just an example would you like to go to say woodies or somewhere and not be able to get near the door cos of the staff parking cars around? i know i wouldnt and that would be my no1 complaint before i got in the door...

@ galway- just wondering why you had to truck ur car over to the uk when there was a porsche dealer up the north ??

-Chris-

mondeo wrote: »

it was the first place we looked at the gti and bought it there and then....afterwards we noticed we paid more then other dealers in around dublin at the time... so what do you do it's too late then. Over the years i've compared their prices to others and they were always more expensive as far as i could see. lovely show rooms though....

If you realised later that you could have bought the car cheaper elsewhere, then that's more down to your research/negotiating skills than it is a reflection on Belgard.

My (more recent) experience was that they were cheaper than others at least as often as they were more expensive.

car crazy wrote: »

no point letting rip now belgard unforunately is gone, and not everyone had a bad experience thankfully,but im sure there were no where runs smoothly, there were some with a few but no point picking over old bones now

Very true. I don't mean to encourage people to speak negatively (or positively) about Belgard, but people have the right to vent - you included. The more important thing, if they do, is that they deal in fact and not generalisations or "my mate's mate had a problem there", which is all too common.

P.S. Sorry to hear about your job. I hope you get sorted soon.

Darragh29

car crazy wrote: »

no point letting rip now belgard unforunately is gone, and not everyone had a bad experience thankfully,but im sure there were no where runs smoothly, there were some with a few but no point picking over old bones now

@ darragh-no signs were put up re staff parking cars on the premises so not sure where u got that bit of information from, but yes they werent allowed to park there cars on the premises because it caused problems for paying customers trying to park and for ease of access which is understandable at the end of the day, just an example would you like to go to say woodies or somewhere and not be able to get near the door cos of the staff parking cars around? i know i wouldnt and that would be my no1 complaint before i got in the door...

I clearly recall seeing an A4 notice up at reception in the parts area telling staff that they were not allowed to park their own cars on company property. I also recall seeing a similar notice telling staff they were not allowed to use their mobile phones at work.

I went for an interview for as job there and given the attitude and arrogance that I saw from the Aftersales Manager at the time, I'm not a bit surprised the place is now closed.

BostonB

Lots of dealerships had poor attitude, service and prices but yet people used them no problem in the boom years. Its because we're bad consumers that places like that are able to exist. I don't think thats the main reason why Belgard have gone, so its irrelevent tbh.

Darragh29

BostonB wrote: »

Lots of dealerships had poor attitude, service and prices but yet people used them no problem in the boom years. Its because we're bad consumers that places like that are able to exist. I don't think thats the main reason why Belgard have gone, so its irrelevent tbh.

Yeah but we're not in boom times now. The amount of service work they had alone should have been enough to sustain any business. I'd say if VW were not prepared to support them, it might possibly be down to the "do you know who we are" attitude that Belgard Motor's had about themselves...

Theboinkmaster

First off - very sorry to those who have lost their jobs.

However when i first heard this my attitude was "not surprised - they deserve it".

The upside of this recession is it's trimmed the fat in alot of industries ie this recession allows businesses to demonstrate how good they really are, sort the men from the boys if you will.

Belgard are a typical boom business - unsustainable as they didn't have to work hard to sell anything, as they grew.

I experienced them over a 6 month period in late 2006 when i was buying a VW golf and also looking at 2nd hand motors. Every single person i encountered (probably about 6/7 over that period) were obnoxious, arrogant and ignorant. Didn't know anything about what they were selling, lazy wouldn't ring me back (despite having €25k cash to spend) and just rude.

From a consumer & business perspective - good riddance IMO.

However, sorry to those who lost their jobs - im sure there were hard working, decent people working there. It's just i never met any when i was over there.

galwaytt

car crazy wrote: »

@ galway- just wondering why you had to truck ur car over to the uk when there was a porsche dealer up the north ??

Because, in an odd kind of way, the UK mainland is easier to get to. For instance, I can take my car off-season via Holyhead and be in Manchester only 2 hrs from the boat. Leave the car there, and fly back to Galway direct. Following Sat do it in reverse.

Going to NI involves a 4.5hr drive - each way, and no direct link. So I have to haul someone with me each time (and their transport).

Actually, there's a Porsche indy in Wales now too, even closer, for GBP£ 35/hr.

As you know, Belgard didn't want anything to do with any non-current Porsches. Until very, very recently I might add: I saw a 993 Servicing offer lately, but too little, too late - there's an awful lot of PCI guys who would darken their door for similar reasons. You'll find in Germany, for example, the dealers are far more amenable, and even in the factory's own dealerships, you'd find anything from old to new, all mixed in. It's all work. Ah, but maybe that's the difference.............

And, in Germany, older models get a 50% reduction on the hourly labour rate...........

Absurdum

unkel wrote: »

Guess who's paying for those lovely show rooms and the free coffee

it was nice coffee though

OH bought a car from them a few years back, we were very happy with them

Drummerboy08

Their service dept were usually alright to deal with, but the quality of work was another thing. Sales were torture to deal with, so we just didnt bother with them.

BanyaIreland

It's a pity to see Belgard Motors going.

I have had very good experience in dealing with them.

At the end of the Boom sure we can look at Car Dealers in general and say that there were order takers working en masse at showrooms.

There wasn't a lot of true sales people in the industry in the last 15 years.

The reality of why long established dealerships are now going under is because of Sterling fluctuations, and internet websites where you can clearly see just how much more you have to pay at Irish dealerships. 695 Volkswagen Passats were imported in 2009 and that's just The Passat.

That has to hurt the dealers badly.

It's ironic because the majority of main dealers still swear by the internet.

Yet it's so easy to spot the serious differences in price online.

How do they compete?

I guess there is a lesson here somewhere.

Why should any Irish Consumer buy from the company that any of YOU WORK FOR?

Perhaps they could get a cheaper deal ONLINE or Up North.

dazberry

ishotjd wrote: »

To Buzzard,
Of course it says 'deposit non refundable' on your receipt as you where fully expectant that Belgard motors would order or buy in a car, on your behalf that would have cost them a lot more than the 2.5k you left as a deposit.

As he paid by cheque, if he can't cancel it in time - well he's now a "creditor" in liquidation terms, and likely at the very end of a long list, so he's not going to see that money back again, so if he's a bit emotional calling people cnuts and so forth, I'd give him a bit of space.

I know someone that works in "corporate recovery", they only ever make deposits using credit cards.

R.O.R wrote: »

Call them now if they are still open before Lombard reposses everything.

BostonB wrote: »

Whoever bailed out the bank, oh wait thats us...

Since the only bank that has been mentioned in this thread is Lombard (which is technically a finance company not a bank) is owned by RBS, which is mostly owned by the Queen (the corgie waving one, not the rockband), any writeoff will be part of the UK APS (asset protection scheme). Since Lombard would most likely be involved in "Unit Stocking" (financing the cars in the forecourt), it is possible that other institutions are involved - so don't put your wallet away just yet BostonB :eek:.

D.

RedorDead

Mick K wrote: »

Merc/VW/Audi/Bmw all the way down the line have a certain standard of showroom dealers have to meet,They dont meet it they dont get the dealership.Simple.VW/AUDI/Merc forced this spending on every dealer in the country and now their dropping like flies and no Brand has bailed any dealer out yet.

There are plenty of other dealerships out there that spent the big money on the new showrooms but they are still operating. Obviously other dealerships operated better than Belgard and are still trading because of that. Not up to the brand to bail these guys out.

Damien360

I have had to use them for serice of my company mondeo a few times. Very odd setup in service. You walk in to a wall of typists on the left. Each will only deal with their brand, i.e. one for merc, two for audi, one for VW, one for others (he was poor to deal with but very nive guy - way out of his depth when dealing with customers). Add to that a girl sitting in the centre who spent her time on personal calls loudly and very ignorant and unhelpful. Easy to cut a few there straight away.

I cannot fault the service guys at all. They took my mondeo on short notice when the bonnet refused to lock down after I changed the headlight bulbs. Opened the car and started working on it immediatly. Head service tech brought me in to show me the problem first hand and his fix. As it turned out, when he put it all back together it fixed itself. That is how service should be done. I waited in the office while they worked and they kept me informed all the time.

The cost of all service was mad. About 30% higher than a main ford dealer. I am sure that was to pay for the front office in service department.

I have never bought a car from them and have only test driven various cars before a company purchase. I always found them good to deal with and would put the Naas merc/audi/VW dealer to shame.

What caused the bust ? Many dealers ran to build glass monuments to their own ego. Can any of you tell me they needed them. They will not be the last to go.

Eventually the playing field will be leveled. Real car salesmen will imerge from this unscathed and the clowns who are only fit to sell dishwashers will be gone until the next boom in 20 years.

paddydriver

So can my thread be reopened now:D

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055671454

-Chris-

paddydriver wrote: »

So can my thread be reopened now:D

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055671454

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNGc9zmpK5M

:rolleyes:

MarkN

Damien the brands insisted on the showrooms if you wanted to use their name, it wasn't the dealers choosing this 99% of the time. One of the reasons Maxwell Motors lost BMW was they couldnt/wouldnt extend. They're still selling cars.

Mr.Boots

I cant understand why Audi/Vw/Porsche let them away with their poor customer skills? they are repersenting their brand after all.

Glad to see Porsche go somewhere else....they were a joke to deal with unless you had cash pound notes falling out of your hat.
I was at the launch of the Cayman there....it repersented what they are all about. b$llox.
Porsche is a drivers car....they tried to make it a W$nkers car.
Des Cullen was a gent....even when i was 18 and drooling on his Exotic Stock...he gave me the time of day....thats the difference.
Tried do deal with Vw Belgard before......I do say tried.

Still sorry to see job losses.

BostonB

paddydriver wrote: »

So can my thread be reopened now:D

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055671454

Might I add...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUpqAmwcB8w

BostonB

Mr.Boots wrote: »

...Des Cullen was a gent....even when i was 18 and drooling on his Exotic Stock...he gave me the time of day.......

+1 same experience.

PrettyBoy

What's going to happen with the stock? Any chance of getting a good deal?

-Chris-

Head down to Merlin auctions any night they're open PrettyBoy, you stand an equal chance of getting a good deal there as you do when the Belgard stock is auctioned off.

bostoncommon

Just got a customers porsche out of service.. It was blocked in by a very nice black 2007 gt3. Service is open they are planing to finish the remaining jobs, very sad workshop full of cars.

Bonito

http://www.belgard.ie/news_details.aspx?id=80



If you are a customer, supplier, employee or have any other direct queries, please contact Belgard Motors on 01-4049999 to speak to one of Kavanagh Fennell's staff who are located full time at the Company's premises.

Darragh29

Anyone hear about the protest at the premises by staff this morning???

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1116/breaking17.htm

R.O.R

Darragh29 wrote: »

Anyone hear about the protest at the premises by staff this morning???

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1116/breaking17.htm

According to the article it was out at the VW headquaters. Think the door in to VW is away from the road in Liffey Valley.

-Chris-

Brian Murphy, a former director with the Belgard Motors group, had recently been requested to create a survival plan, and was prepared to invest working capital to refinance the business.

He said the company was not viable without the VW franchise, which accounted for 75 per cent of car sales. However, he stressed that the company was not going out of business because of the weakness in the car market, and was still selling enough cars. He said over-borrowing was partly to blame fort he current situation Belgard Motors currently found itself in.

Based on this kind of information, it's probably pointless protesting outside VWGI, this may actually have been caused by mis-management.

R.O.R

-Chris- wrote: »

Based on this kind of information, it's probably pointless protesting outside VWGI, this may actually have been caused by mis-management.

It's probably pointless protesting outside VWGI anyway. Like with out of warranty claims, I'm sure they don't give a fcuk :pac::pac:

Drummerboy08

R.O.R wrote: »

It's probably pointless protesting outside VWGI anyway. Like with out of warranty claims, I'm sure they don't give a fcuk :pac::pac:

Harsh.

Harsh, but true.

I still havent collected the Golf from there yet, although they are completeling any work that requires no parts to be ordered out.

RedorDead

It also does say in that article that VW Ireland will honour all existing deposits paid to Belgard.

BlackWizard

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

I still havent collected the Golf from there yet, although they are completeling any work that requires no parts to be ordered out.

So they are doing a breakers job on it and leaving you with the shell minus headlights

I already poked fun at your situation, sorry Drummerboy08 But it sounds like they are finishing up what ever work they can do according to some of the posts.

Healyc

Supposedly there is going to be a part about Belgard Motors tonight on Pat Kenny's Frontline show!

http://www.rte.ie/news/thefrontline/

Drummerboy08

BlackWizard wrote: »

So they are doing a breakers job on it and leaving you with the shell minus headlights

I already poked fun at your situation, sorry Drummerboy08 But it sounds like they are finishing up what ever work they can do according to some of the posts.

Thats exactly whats happening! The car has its clocks out, but no work has been done to it, and I still need a transporter to pick it up!

At least they are completing work that they can do.

-Chris-

RedorDead wrote: »

It also does say in that article that VW Ireland will honour all existing deposits paid to Belgard.

I think that's very fair - thinking back to the near riots we saw outside Jim Langan Furniture last year when people were losing deposits etc., it's good to see customers won't get put through that again.

-Chris-

Frontline related posts moved to Frontline thread to avoid duplication.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055742195

Keep this thread for discussion of Belgard Motors related stuff only.

Absurdum

Belgard stock is going under the hammer next Tuesday the 23rd

details: http://cooney.ie/sales/search.php

catalogue: http://cooney.ie/sales/view_catalog.php?sale=38

Some nice cars there, although after seeing how much some of the EP Mooney cars went for, I'm not sure that there's gonna be too many bargains!

Jip

I saw that advertised in the press earlier this week, but they were being advertised as lots and didn't seem to be something your average Joe would go to to pick up a bargain.

R.O.R

Absurdum wrote: »

Belgard stock is going under the hammer next Tuesday the 23rd

details: http://cooney.ie/sales/search.php

catalogue: http://cooney.ie/sales/view_catalog.php?sale=38

Some nice cars there, although after seeing how much some of the EP Mooney cars went for, I'm not sure that there's gonna be too many bargains!

If anyone is heading up to this, could they make a note of the following 3 lots for me? They were a customers cars through Belgard which they had to hand back. He's interested to know if they go for more or less than he offered the liquidator.

207 - A4
232 - Golf Van
233 - Santa Fe Commercial

bf

The stock is not going to auction. You have to submit your bid via tender & give a 20% deposit based on your bid by bank draft.

Only the auctioneer/lqiuidator will know what the highest bidder is I presume, given its a tender

CH3OH

Maybe this was obvious to most, but I didn't realise until I read the terms that the final price is your bid plus 6% auctioneers fees PLUS 21% vat on top of that.

€10 000 bid becomes €12828

Does not apply to registered private vehicles as correctly highlighted by Conor_mc

smash

It's 5%+VAT auction fee plus €175 indemnity fee.

VolvoMan

Would it not be easier to just have an auction

bf

steve06 wrote: »

It's 5%+VAT auction fee plus €175 indemnity fee.

Thats the normal auction fee alright, for this sale it 6% plus VAT fee with no indemnity fee (have the T&Cs in front of me here)

Absurdum

VolvoMan wrote: »

Would it not be easier to just have an auction

+1

I stand corrected...I got a fax about this yesterday saying Auction or something like that, interestingly the most prominent line on the entire A4 page was "NO CHILDREN ALLOWED"

conor_mc

CH3OH wrote: »

Maybe this was obvious to most, but I didn't realise until I read the terms that the final price is your bid plus 6% auctioneers fees PLUS 21% vat on top of that.

€10 000 bid becomes €12828

That's not the way I'm reading it CH3OH. For reg'ed private cars anyway.

VAT & VRT ON SALES

All private vehicles which have been registered will be sold inclusive of VAT.

Bid € 100.00
Auctioneers commission @6% € 6.00
VAT ON Auctioneers Commission @ 21% € 1.26
TOTAL DUE € 107.26

CH3OH

Apologies.
Conor_mc is correct.
I hadn't read the Special conditions of sales page